Written By: Marty Duckenfield, Associate Producer at Clemson Broadcast Productions
A seed of an idea was planted over two years ago when a group of Clemson students, all alumni from a study abroad program in Oxford that has been ongoing since 2005, decided they wanted both a ten-year reunion and a chance to give back to their university. They wanted to encourage current Clemson students to take the plunge and become engaged internationally through the many opportunities through the university, and then to become global citizens in their lives beyond their college days.
So… this weekend, not only do they have their reunion, but the seed they planted took root and became the first Clemson Global Symposium! And excitement is mounting here in Tigertown!
Saturday at Clemson’s Madren Center, over 30 presentations, by both current students and alumni, will be shared among over 150 students, both graduate and undergraduate. These global citizens will tell about their international experiences, whether study abroad, research, service, or internships, during their Clemson years and after. In addition, Clemson’s international students from India, China, Vietnam, Turkey, and Ukraine, will be telling about their native lands during an Inspiration Hour.
The goal of the Symposium is to serve as a catalyst in fostering the development of Clemson students as global citizens. The program that has been organized is amazing! What Clemson students have been doing in international settings will prepare them well for their future roles in a world that seems to be getting smaller each day. And each of these presentations will be by students, for students. Their excitement and enthusiasm for sharing their stories is already evident!
A special feature of the Symposium will be its morning keynote speaker, Dr. Ken Addison of St. Peter’s College, Oxford University, an international expert on the geological effects of climate change and future environmental security efforts. He will present on the current challenges of climate change and will challenge participants to confront its future consequences. Four of his former students at the Oxford Summer Program, (Clemson alumni), will take on this challenge in a general session after the luncheon, guiding all of the student participants in an activity to discover ways they can both mitigate and adapt to the challenges we all face today due to this issue. In other words, they will be engaging as global citizens.
The final speaker will be Mac Segars, a recent Clemson alumnus who was in Mozambique with the Peace Corps for two years, found his calling there, and has returned to South Carolina to go to medical school. Mac’s presentation will truly be inspiring.
The Clemson Global Symposium will have 22 sessions filmed for airing on Clemson TV, accessible to all via the Internet, thus expanding the opportunities for students who could not participate to learn about the possibilities.
We know lives will be changed on March 28th, and believe the mission of the Clemson alumni will be accomplished, not only in 2015, but also in the years to come.
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